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Technical institute graduates find employment at high rate

South Dakota’s four technical institutes saw an overall placement rate of 97 percent for employable graduates in 2007-08. Eighty-eight percent of graduates are employed within their field of training, and 70 percent are employed in a training-related career in South Dakota.
“These numbers indicate the critical role that the technical institutes play in fueling the state’s economy,” said Mark Wilson, director of the South Dakota Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education. Wilson presented a vision for the future of the technical institutes during a South Dakota Board of Education meeting, May 12-13, in Sioux Falls. The board oversees programming at the four technical institutes.
Employable graduates are those who are not continuing their education or are enlisted in the military.
In the Health Science field, which encompasses a total of 30 programs among the four institutes, 97 percent of employable graduates are employed – with 88 percent working in their specific field. The Architecture and Construction field, which encompasses 10 programs among the institutes, saw a 98 percent employment rate – with 90 percent employed in their field.
Of the 1,766 graduates from the technical institutes in 2007-08, 1,443 participated in the placement survey.
During the meeting, Wilson presented a vision for the future of the technical institutes, which includes development of new programs to meet the needs of emerging industries and integrating state-of-the-art, cutting-edge technology and innovative course delivery methods. The presidents of the technical institutes also presented long-range site plans and facility needs.
The state’s four technical institutes are Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, Mitchell Technical Institute in Mitchell, Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, and Western Dakota Technical Institute in Rapid City.